1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to building construction and more particularly to truss joist construction.
In home construction a plurality of truss joists are employed for supporting a floor, or the like. Truss joists typically comprise upper and lower horizontal chords interconnected in vertically spaced relation by a plurality of webs or struts inclined with respect to the chords to form a rigid support.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It has been common practice to form building truss joists from wood material, such as 2.times.4s, in which the inclined struts are joined to the upper and lower chords, as by nailing. More recently it is common practice to join the struts and chords to each other by using metallic plates having prongs struck out therefrom which, when a plate overlies a juncture of the strut and chord, are driven or forced into the wood, the plates sometimes being referred to as nail plates. In either event, it is a time consuming process for joining the struts and chords by nailing or using the plates which results in increased labor cost for assembly of the trusses.
This invention employes an apparatus which will press force the plates into the truss forming members by a single pass longitudinally of the prepositioned chords and struts having the plates overlying the respective chord and strut junctures.